White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

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Jan van Wyk
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White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Image

I decided to share my huge White-fronted Bee-eater collection with every one. Hope you will enjoy them. Will really appreciate views ..comments.....or just a :thumbs_up: or may be a :clap: or just a :)

We took thousands images of this beautiful colourful Bee-eaters at their nest.


One of South Africa’s most beautiful resident Birds and one of the most complex family-based social systems.

They are widely spread through South Africa and are found in the vast savannah regions of the Highveld and bushveld. They live in large groups, as we observed in our colony of about 100 of them. Colonies comprise of extended family groups with overlapping generations with cooperative breeding. Non-breeding individuals become helpers to relatives and assist to raise their young.

We discovered their nest a few years back on a private Farmers land and have been monitoring them for hundreds of hours during the years.

We have been able to photograph some interesting behaviour rarely seen by people.

They start building and repairing nest during the winter months and only return to the nest at dawn, roosting for the night.

In August during courtship they are very active with males chasing each other around constantly. We monitored for the first time how a Male and female would sit together on a perch before mating. The Male will catch and insect and bring it back to the Female. He will then smack the Bee or other insect against the perch while the Female waits patiently. The Male will then offer the Bee to the Female and after about 3 feedings the Female will allow the Male to mate.

The nesting site are in holes in banks, while the egg laying takes place at the end of September with incubation period +- 20 days. At this time the Female spends most of the time in the nest with the Male bringing her food. The rest of the colony only returns at dawn to roost.

The nest becomes very active after the chicks are born. During this time the entire colony helps with the feeding process of the chicks.

Their diet is made up primarily of Bees, but our observation shows that they also take other flying insects. We photographed and have data of over 30 different insects they caught from Grasshoppers to Romans. This is an observation I have never seen photographed before.

At the moment it seems that the Mining activity in the area had no influence on their breeding activity, but with the demand for Coal increasing, their habitat will always be under threat.

Hope my images will tell their story of this beautiful bird.


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To be continued.........many more to come.... :thumbs_up:
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Sun Apr 16, 2023 12:55 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
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Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Family portrait....

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Few doubles........

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tbc..........
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Few more...

Family.. :dance:

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Portraits... :dance:

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tbc...
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for the comments and following my collection.appreciated. :dance: :dance:

2016 Chicks are almost uot of the nest and the devoted parents got their work cut out... :hmz:

Perfect moment in beautiful light... family portrait taken yesterday after the rain...all with food for the young ones.... :dance: :dance:

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Interaction shots from yesterday....... :dance: :dance:

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amazed by their skills........controlling the Grasshopper population... :dance: :dance:

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tbc.........
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for the kind comments :thumbs_up:

Four in a row with food for the youngsters... :dance: :dance:

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Landing pose..

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Sharing....

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Fighting...

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Preparing the food..

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Golden light double..............same dragon fly catch......... :dance: :dance:

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tbc...... :thumbs_up:
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for the kind comments

Family portrait...3 catches in beautiful light.... :dance: :dance:

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Some of my best behavior fighting images....

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My best double take of ever... :dance: :dance:

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tbc........
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you for the kind comments. :thumbs_up:

There is always an outsider and this one differs from the normal red below the white with yellow feathers . We photograph him now for a few years at the nest....for sure a rare sighting.... :dance: :dance:

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Tbc..........
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for the comments :thumbs_up:

Few more from my collection....... :dance: :dance:


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tbc.........
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you manicwalker and Hilda for taking time to give a comment........appreciated :thumbs_up:

Few more in flight...... :dance: :dance:

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tbc..........
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for the kind comments......appreciated :thumbs_up:

Some insects in the air...... :dance: :dance:

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Have a great Christmas and a wonderful new year ....will share more in 2017 :thumbs_up:
Attachments
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Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for the comments :thumbs_up:

Time to share some more in 2017........ :dance: :dance:

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Mating time...

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Always fighting for the best catch...

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Tbc....
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for the kind comments :thumbs_up:

Few more in flight and landing.... :dance:

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tbc....
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you for the kind comments........really appreciated.. :dance: :dance:

Few more in landing poses in perfect light... :thumbs_up:

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Tbc....
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for taking time to give the kind comments :dance: :dance:

It is all about timing :thumbs_up:

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Tbc.......
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jan van Wyk
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Legendary Virtual Ranger
Posts: 17476
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:37 pm

Re: White-fronted Bee-eaters- Jan van Wyk photo collection

Unread post by Jan van Wyk »

Thank you all for taking time to give a comments.........appreciated :thumbs_up:

Roman take off......
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Roman landing pose...

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Tbc.......
Last edited by Jan van Wyk on Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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